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After 17 podiums in 2011, Abu Dhabi is RBR’s first non podium finish of the year

POSTED ON November 14th, 2011

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Car 2 MARK WEBBER, Finish Position: 4th,
Start Position: 4th

“On the second pit stop, we fitted the option tyre again to try and cut the race down to something
different; it was certainly worth a bit of a punt. The two DRS zones are tricky here; in the first one it was easy to get the move done, but in the second one you couldn’t, so if I passed Jenson there, he could just get you back again. I think it was a bit of a gimmick today the DRS, it was difficult to make the move stick and harder to get the move done, as I say in Turn 11. I had a pretty good pace on Jenson anyway at the end of the first stint, he went one lap shorter than us which was no problem, but then we had a bad first pit stop, so we lost a lot of time with that. It put us on the back foot. I got the car back onto the leaders, but we were out of position by then.”

Car 1
SEBASTIAN VETTEL, Finish Position: DNF, Start Position: 1st

“On the exit of the first corner, everything seemed fine and then turning into the second corner I could feel that something was odd on the rear right. I had to catch the car surprisingly and then the second time, I couldn’t do it anymore, as I’d lost too much air in the rear right tyre. I had a puncture and spun off. When I got back to the pits, the resulting suspension damage meant we couldn’t carry on. There wasn’t anything we could have done better really this weekend; we just need to look at what had caused the puncture. I had a good start and I was very happy with the car up until that point. To lose the race there, so early on, it hurts for sure. There wasn’t much we could do, so after that I took the opportunity to learn a little bit on the pit wall.”

CHRISTIAN HORNER, Team Principal: “After such a great qualifying yesterday, it was a really frustrating race. Sebastian made a perfect start and had a clear lead into the first corner and then an instantaneous loss of pressure in the tyre made him a complete passenger. The resulting
suspension damage from that meant there was no alternative but to retire the car today. For Mark, he was in a close scrap with Jenson. On the first pit stop we had a wheel nut issue and thereafter it dropped him behind Felipe Massa, so at that point we opted for a different strategic route and a three stop race, which was the only opportunity to take on and beat Massa and to have a go at Jenson. Unfortunately there just weren’t enough laps to pull out a big enough gap, but it was worth a go and Mark drove well. Fourth was ultimately the best we could achieve today. So, at a track that’s been so good to us for the last two years, it’s frustrating to have our first DNF of the
year due to a tyre issue. Congratulations to Lewis on a strong drive today.”

CYRIL DUMONT,
Renault
: “A disappointing day. It’s a shame that we finished the race with Seb out of Turn 1 already with a puncture. Looking at Mark’s race, I think it was pretty solid. We decided to swap to a three stop strategy to undercut Massa and it worked pretty well. It’s the first time that we are not on the podium this year and we’ll come back stronger inBrazil.”

Comments
Balazs POSTED November 23rd, 2011

“our first DNF of the
year”.
What about Italy? Is Mark not included in Christian’s definition of “us”?

Mark Webber Site Manager POSTED November 24th, 2011

Hmmm…..we noticed that and thought the same thing!

george POSTED November 19th, 2011

Good try Mark, the strategy to stay out longer up front was good and could have paid – too bad no one told the wheel nut. Wouldn’t it be great if you could take a wish list to Red Bull and ask them to please fix. Maybe you could pitch a tent till the team got it right ?

Dian POSTED November 17th, 2011

I hope that at least you can win the last race.

TRICKO POSTED November 16th, 2011

A good 4th place Mark.Another good start but a shame about the tyre strategy not working out and the slow pitstop the 3rd place was yours! I must say i dont like the double DRS what a cock up no sooner did you get past someone then they were straight back on you.Also can something not be done about getting DRS off the lapped cars everyone was at it even Hammy it just doesnt seem right,maybe next year will bring some change.And that flappy thing under your car that must have cost you a bit you seemed to be backing off the corners a touch.Can i say i’m not a massive Brundle fan or should i say MIGHTY Brundle fan but does he know how funny he is that crack abou Bandits on the grid walk was hilarious he never fails to shock.Anyhoo looking forward to the last race lets kick butt and go out on a high.COME ON THE WEBBER!!!!!

Tony Toth POSTED November 15th, 2011

Mark, it’s a shame about the mishaps. Without them and fighting with backmarkers, you could’ve been right up there. Sorry about the missed opportunities and better luck next time. Still proud of you.

Sam POSTED November 15th, 2011

Despite the lack of a podium, RBR has to be comforted by Mark’s consistent fastest lap after fastest lap in pursuit of Button, unfazed by the disappointing stop.

Bad luck to Sebastian, no one should have to go out like that, let alone the champion. It did make for an exciting race for us spectators.

taker POSTED November 14th, 2011

stupid red bull they ruin your race and they were crying because vettel is out they dont care about you, by the way why 9 seconed pit stop they want to ruin your race, vettel never stops 9 second in pit stop

Bidi POSTED November 14th, 2011

Brilliant driving this weekend from proper racing drivers. You are a class act even in adversity. Still my number one!

Viktoriya POSTED November 14th, 2011

Last year the team did not give a chance to be a champion,this year not to be the 1-st after champion. This is OUTRAGE1

Agnieszka POSTED November 14th, 2011

I enjoyed the race as usual, though hard not to mention the disappointment when you lost the third position due to the last tyre change. You were magnificent, not a single mistake, the fastest laps all the time, fantstic job! And I hope the tyre change policy will change next year, as it costs you too much too often now. Enjoy the last race, sooooo sorry it it the last one!!! All the best from Poland :)

Tommo POSTED November 14th, 2011

Mark,

what a bloody rollercoaster that was. without stating the obvious pit stop blunder it was well recovered race. what was with the floor on your car flapping in the breeze? did that have any bearing on the handling of the car? so many moves i thought would stick with button and massa finally came to fruition but the tyres changes were a bit awry and having to pit at the near end of the race. for the slowest V-max car in the top 5 you drove well and got the chance of grabbing some points anyway. your closing laps were brilliant, much less for some of the backmarkers who were convinced they were playing for cattle stations even though they were lapped.

Tommo.

amco POSTED November 14th, 2011

Maybe there´s some F1 tyre change regulation behind this, but I almost cried out loud!

amco POSTED November 14th, 2011

Excited that looked like a 3rd place but then shocked by the second last lap tyre change that lost it to 4th, why/how/what happened ???

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